Help with my dads shotgun... Springfield side by side, pat. date 1915

[Opie]

I have found very little information on this shotgun, it appears to be the same thing as a Stevens 311. The bores appears to be in good condition and there is some very slight surface rust on the outside that will probably clean up. The only markings on the gun is the Springfield roll mark on the left side, and patent 1915 on the right. The barrel says "proofed for 12ga" above the chamber.

The gun is missing the front bead but appears mechanically sound. There are numerous cosmetic dents and dings, but if it will shoot modern ammuntion it would probably be fine for upland game and birds.

I understand that Stevens bought Springfield in 1929, so the gun was made somewhere between 1915 and 1929.

My dad wants to sell it and I am trying to figure out a fair price for a quick sale for him. He is not a gun guy and aquired it when he got married, so I told him I would try to handle the sale for him.

Whadda you guys think? $200, $300????

 

[dfariswheel]

This old Springfield appears to have been the Springfield Model 511, which is more or less the Savage 311.

Both these are part of a larger series of cheap double and single barrel guns that used many common parts, and were sold under the Savage-Stevens-Springfield names, as well as being sold under store brand names by many hardware and catalog stores like Wards and Sears.

Unfortunately, these guns were about the "bottom of the line" quality-wise, and were intended to be sold for a few dollars at hardware and general stores.

Because of the poor quality steels used in the manufacture of these, they should be considered wall hangers, since it's risky to shoot them with modern shot shells.

Because of the quality, age, and inadvisability to shoot them, these are worth little.

 

[Okiecruffler]

Yep, gotta be careful with those Savage/Stevens/Springfield SXS's

I've got 1951 that I'm afraid to run more than 100 rds or so thru in a day. But it does sound like what you have is a slightly abused 511, or maybe a 315. A little more info would pinpoint it, double or single triggers, Hammers, serial number could isolate year, but I have to admit I don't have as much experience with the Springfield as I do with the Stevens. The rust almost surely drops it into the Fair condition catagory, which if it's a 511 puts the blue book value at around 200 bucks. But with all the CAS guys scrambling around for old SXS's, you could probably squeeze a little more out of it.